West O blight designation passes planning commission
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By MATT OLBERDING / Lincoln Journal Star
A plan to declare the West O Street area blighted encountered no opposition Wednesday. After a short public hearing in which several people lauded the plan, the Lincoln-Lancaster Planning Commission unanimously recommended it be adopted.
The city is seeking to have a 1,361-acre area along West O, stretching from 10th Street to just west of Northwest 70th, declared blighted and substandard.
A consultant's study found enough factors, such as aging and dilapidated buildings, faulty lot and street layouts and unsanitary or unsafe conditions, to justify the designation, which will be the largest ever in the city.
Declaring West O blighted will allow the city to formulate a redevelopment plan that will make the area eligible for grants and tax incentives for private redevelopment. The city also plans streetscape improvements in the area.
Darl Naumann, the city's economic development coordinator, called the designation "not a solution but a tool for redevelopment."
That tool may already have takers.
Former Lincoln Mayor Don Wesely, who was at the hearing to represent Lincoln Poultry and Nebraska Machinery, said the companies support the blight designation and plan to seek redevelopment agreements.
"With (the blight designation) you will see specific investment along West O Street," he said.
Though the first phase of Nebraska Machinery's plan is under way, Lincoln Poultry's project would not happen without the possibility of tax incentives, he said.
The two companies have plans for expansions at Northwest 56th and West O streets.
Randy Haas, president of the West O Business Association, said the group of about 100 businesses is glad to see the redevelopment plans finally going forward.
The city and the association have worked on the project for two years.
"We feel improving West O … is a good addition to the city of Lincoln," he said.
Carl Sjulin, president of West Gate Bank, said he supported the plan, noting the bank got its start on West O Street in 1968.
Although the area has seen some investment, Sjulin said, it has lagged behind the rest of the city.
But West O has "tremendous potential," he said.
The City Council must still approve the designation, but with the cooperation between the city and businesses and the lack of opposition, that seems very likely.
In other business Wednesday, the Planning Commission gave the green light to a large housing development in northwest Lincoln.
Plans call for Prairie Homes' Highland View to have 566 homes on about 160 acres near Northwest 12th Street and Alvo Road.
The subdivision is west of Fallbrook and will have homes starting around $150,000, the first of which should be available by spring.
Though the application is for 566 homes, Prairie Homes President Steve Champoux has said the development may have as many as 650 homes once it's completed.
Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
Small acreage plan near lake brings big opposition
A small acreage development is causing a big controversy.
More than 350 people have signed a petition opposing Wagon Train Estates, a six-lot acreage development being proposed on about 21 acres at South 96th Street and Wagon Train Road.
The diverse group includes hunters, anglers, hikers, cyclists and the Wachiska Audubon Society among others, Lincoln attorney DaNay Kalkowski told the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Commission on Wednesday.
The group is seeking to prevent the homes in the development from being built closer to Wagon Train State Recreation Area than regulations normally allow.
Homes usually can't be built closer than a quarter mile to a state park, but that requirement can be waived with a special permit from the county.
However, the standards for the special permit require the homes to be 600 feet from the park.
But the developer, with the Planning Department's support, is seeking to build homes only 200 feet from the park.
In its report, the department noted that strictly applying the buffer would preclude any development of the site.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission opposes the change because state law prohibits hunting within 600 feet of a residence.
Charlie Humble, an attorney for the developers, said the area near the homes is not "a high hunting area." He said if the Game and Parks Commission is concerned with protecting hunting rights, it should buy the private land needed to do that.
Humble also said the development would have no negative effects on other parts of the park.
Kalkowski disagreed, saying millions of dollars had been invested in the lake, and that public investment needed to be protected. The way to do that, she said, is to enforce the requirements of the special permit.
"If the special permit conditions cannot be met, then residential development is not appropriate" for the site, she said.
Neighbors who testified also raised concerns about adequate water in the area.
Dale Finke said when he moved to the area in 1991, he dug three wells and could barely find enough water to meet minimum requirements.
Finke said he's concerned that six more homes would be "too much of a burden" on the area.
In March, the Planning Commission had recommended against changing the zoning on the land to allow acreages, but the Lancaster County Board approved the change.
Some board members said they felt obligated to allow some development of the land because of the County Board's decision.
After an amendment to make the setback requirement 400 feet instead of 200 feet failed, commissioners voted 7-2 to approve the special permit. Jon Carlson and Roger Larson cast the dissenting votes.
Opponents of the development will have a chance to air their concerns when it goes in front of the County Board, which will have final say over it.
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